


Nine Orchid

by ConvenientAlias



Category: A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine
Genre: Double Drabble, F/F, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-06-12
Packaged: 2020-05-01 19:58:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19184578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConvenientAlias/pseuds/ConvenientAlias
Summary: "What was it you called yourself in school again?"





	Nine Orchid

“What was it you called yourself in school again? Nine Orchid, was it?”

Mahit grits her teeth. Nineteen Adze is sitting on her strap, fully naked, just as flushed and aroused as Mahit—yet she somehow remains aloof, amused. Mahit hates it. Hates how even now she can make Mahit feel like a child, a joke…

“It suits you. You are a lovely flower. And almost Teixcalaanli.”

A part of her wants to beam at the compliment; the approval from the emperor, from this dignified, beautiful woman, meaning everything. She growls, slams her hips up, making Nineteen Adze gasp. “I am Mahit.”

“Of course, Ambassador. Forgive me.”

_Ambassador_ , and still not _Mahit_. Inches away from _Yskandr_. But it’s close enough; at least it’s respectful. “Forgiven,” Mahit says, “Your Brilliance.” Titles are better anyhow—more distance. Though Mahit has little chance of remaining objective. She is the cliché, the bad example. She is, yes, fucking her predecessor’s ex. She’s lost it. But it feels like she’s taken control.

She tries not to hear the name Nineteen Adze hisses when she comes, shuddering apart on top of Mahit, words tumbling from her lips like peels coming off the edge of a knife.

**Author's Note:**

> I just read A Memory Called Empire! So good. This ficlet is written for the femslashficlets weekly challenge, which was "Names".


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